Babysitting and the ASOS
by mistymidnight
Summary: A night of babysitting becomes an opportunity for Buffy and Dawn to bond and bicker. (Whew! Try saying that 5 times fast!) ((Little Dawn fic--season three))


**Title: **Babysitting and the Association of Students Opposed to Schooling

**Author: **mistymidnight

**Rating: **PG

**Disclaimer: **I own nothing except the club, which could become a real hit…

**Timeline: **Season three

**Spoilers: **Uhhhh…cranberry sauce! (Random thoughts)

**Summary: **A night of babysitting becomes an opportunity for Buffy and Dawn to bond and bicker. (Whew! Say that five times fast!)

**Author's Notes: **As requested by gidgetgirl, here it is: Dawn and Buffy starting a club and arguing over who gets to be president. 

In other news:

            -I'm on vacation! (Not that I'm actually _going_ anywhere, I just have minimal obligations for a week!) Yippee!

            -I take requests! Got a Dawn/Buffy story that you want to see? Just let me know and I'll do my very best to fill your request. (Oh, now with the rhyming!)

            -Two days with no feedback?!?! What kind of outrage is this? I thought you people loved me more than that! *sob* Okay *sniffle* I think I can move on…I think…

PS. The way Dawn eats mac 'n' cheese is the way I eat mac 'n' cheese. I know it sounds gross, but it's actually really good! (I think I'll try chopping up a little tofu and dumping it in there as well…maybe….

PS again- For those of you who don't remember, in the elementary grades subjects like art, music, and gym were graded either satisfactory (S) or unsatisfactory (U). Just a reminder.

Babysitting and the Association of Students Opposed to Schooling 

            "But Mom! I have things to do tonight!" Buffy Summers screamed at her mother. 

            "Is it patrol?"

            Buffy frowned. "No! I specifically took tonight off so I—"

            "If you don't have patrol, this is definitely more important."

            "But I have a date! With Angel! Y'know, the boyfriend from hell, in the literal sense, not in the sense that he's bad but in the sense that he spent three months there and now he's finally feeling up to leaving his house—"

            Joyce glared at her oldest daughter. "Don't give me the sob story. I've heard it before."

            "But—"

            "No buts about it." Joyce put on her coat and picked up her pocketbook. "You are going to babysit your sister."

            "Fine," Buffy grumbled, knowing that she'd lost. "How much will you pay me?"

            Joyce raised her eyebrows. "I have to pay you to babysit your own sister?" _Oh no, _Buffy thought. _Here comes the guilt trip._

            "She looks up to you, Buffy. She loves you. She respects you. Why don't you give a little of that back to her, hmm?"

            Eleven-year-old Dawn came flying down the stairs and launched herself at Buffy. 

            "YOU USED MY SPARKLY SOAP!!!" she screeched into Buffy's face. 

            "We were all out of the regular kind," Buffy explained impatiently. "It's not like I wanted to. Mom?"

            "Bye, girls," Joyce said quickly, kissing them both. "Pun'kinbelly, be sure to do your homework." She made a speedy exit.

            "I HATE YOU!!" Dawn screamed to Buffy. Then she stormed right back up the stairs and slammed the door.

            _Geez, it was only glitter soap. I didn't even think she'd notice. _

*            *            *

            Half an hour later, Dawn was acting like nothing had happened. Unfortunately, the homework battle was yet to come.

            "Dawnie," Buffy said cautiously over her bowl of Kraft Macaroni and Cheese, "I think it's time for you to do something."

            "What?" Dawn asked, her mouth full of macaroni and cheese and peas. Gross as it sounded, Dawn adored the combination of peas and macaroni, and no one objected because it was the only way she would eat any vegetables at all. 

            "Your homework," Buffy said, dropping the dreaded H-word on her sister, who took it surprisingly well.

            "Mah howwark?" came the macaroni, cheese, and pea-filled question.

            "Don't play dumb with me, Dawnie. Yes, your homework. I've got some, too, don't feel bad."

            Dawn's pout instantly returned to her face. "Homework is stupid," she grumped, accidentally spitting a half-chewed pea across the table, where it stuck to the outside of Buffy's glass of milk. She flicked it off and made a face.

            "I most definitely agree," Buffy said, "But if you want to keep your Honor Roll status, you'd better do it."

            "How come you get all F's if you do all your homework?" Dawn asked her sister.

            "I don't get all F's!" Buffy defended herself.

            "What was your last report card?"

            "Um, C, D, B-, C+, F, A."

            "A? What was that in?"

            "Gym."

            "I got an S in gym," Dawn said proudly.

            "Good for you," Buffy said. "Homework, _now_."

            "Fine." Dawn slid off her seat and went to get her backpack. Buffy retrieved hers from the kitchen counter.

            Dawn returned and dumped a bunch of papers onto the table. 

            "Geez, how much homework do you _have?_" Buffy asked, amazed at the amount of papers. 

            "This isn't all homework," Dawn said. She sifted through the pile. "Lunch menu, lunch menu, PTO meeting, fundraiser…"

            "I never heard about a fundraiser at your school," Buffy murmured.

            "Oh, it's over," Dawn said. "We raised four thousand dollars."

            "You mean _they_ raised four thousand dollars," Buffy corrected her. "You never even brought home the notice."

            "I forgot," Dawn whined. She went back to sorting papers. "Old test, old test, worksheet… Oh! Homework!" She set the crumpled paper aside. "Memo, newsletter, notice, homework." She shifted the pile away from her workspace and smoothed out her homework papers. "I hate homework."

            Buffy sighed. "Dawnie, I get it."

            "You know what?" Dawn said. "We should start a club. We both hate homework."

            "Yeah, like what?" the Slayer asked, chewing on her pen cap.

            "How about the 'We Hate Homework Club'?" Dawn suggested.

            "Nah, it should sound real professional." The older Summers thought for a moment. "How about 'The Association of Students Opposed to Schoolwork'?"

            "Yeah!" Dawn cheered. "Now, as president of The Association of Students Opposed to Schoolwork—"

            "Wait a minute," Buffy interrupted. "How come you're the president?"

            "Because the club was my idea," Dawn explained.

            "But I named it!" Buffy protested.

            Dawn scowled. "I'm the youngest."

            "I'm the oldest," Buffy countered, "and therefore have more club-running experience."

            "I'm smarter."

            "I'm more mature."

            "I'm funner."

            "'Funner' isn't a word."

            Dawn stuck out her tongue. "I say it is and I'm smarter."

            "Fine!" Buffy said. "I won't let you have ice cream for dessert if you don't let me be president."

            Dawn gave her a look. "I'm eleven years old. I know how to get my own ice cream."

            "I'll make you go to bed early."  
            "I'll tell Angel what you wrote about him in your diary."

            "YOU READ MY DIARY??? AGAIN???"

            Dawn grinned. "My stealth-i-ness  should definitely make me president."

            "I'm faster and I'm stronger than you."

            Dawn considered. "You can be vice president."

            "How come _you_ can't be vice-president?" Buffy asked.

            "Because I'm already president," Dawn explained. 

            Neither of them heard the front door open and close.

            Neither of them heard Joyce put her keys on the end table in the living room.

            And neither of them saw her stand in the doorway and watch in amusement.

            "I'm the favorite!" Dawn screamed, throwing a crumpled school notice at Buffy. Buffy caught the paper and threw it back at Dawn, who dodged it. 

            "Just because you're the baby doesn't mean you're the favorite," she disputed.

            "_I_'ve never burned anything down or gotten kicked out of school."

            "Yet," Buffy added. "I've got seven years on you, Missy. You haven't burnt anything down _yet_."

            Dawn scowled, then finally noticed Joyce standing in the doorway. She put on her best innocent face. "Hi, Mommy!"

            Joyce frowned a little. "Don't even think about it. You either," she said to Buffy. "Both of you just go to your rooms."

            "But—" Buffy and Dawn said together. 

            "Don't even start," Joyce said sharply. "I can't even leave you two alone for two hours before you're at each other's throats. I can't believe you girls! I thought you both knew better than this! Now go!"

            Judging by the look on their mothers face, the girls decided it was best not to argue. 

            The Association of Students Opposed to Schoolwork was disbanded. 

            A week later, while cleaning Dawn's room, Joyce found a paper containing the minutes for the most recent meeting of The Union of Grounded Sisters.

************************************************************************************

Okay, it's done! It took two days to write, but it's done! Hope you enjoyed, and remember, I take requests!

*mistymidnight*


End file.
